when items float freely inside a space capsule, is it an example of Newton's law #1 or #3? As soon as the astronauts take off their helmets and gloves (after lift-off) in Apollo 13, the gloves float away. So is that an object in motion tends to stay in motion OR every action has an equal and opposite reaction? I don't remember if they actually batted the gloves.

Does taking off the gloves require motion? Which do you think it is?

When items float freely inside a space capsule, it is an example of Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the law of inertia. Newton's First Law states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an external force.

In the case of the gloves floating away after the astronauts took off their helmets and gloves in Apollo 13, it is an example of Newton's First Law. When the gloves were in motion due to the astronauts removing them, they continued to move in a straight line at a constant speed inside the capsule until a force acted on them, causing them to change their motion.

Since you mentioned not remembering if the gloves were actually batted, it's important to note that any contact or force applied to an object would be an example of Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, if the gloves were intentionally batted or pushed by the astronauts, the motion of the gloves floating away would also be an example of Newton's Third Law.

To summarize, when items float freely inside a space capsule, it is primarily an example of Newton's First Law of Motion (law of inertia). If any intentional force or contact is applied to those items, it would also involve Newton's Third Law of Motion (equal and opposite reaction).